WALTON — When Teresa Fields hears the word “designer,” she has a difficult time relating it to herself.

Although it is difficult for the Walton resident to believe, she is waiting for the launch of her second published pattern to become available for sale in October.

“The first time I was asked for an autograph, I turned around to see who was behind me because I wanted to get an autograph too,” she smiled. “It was funny, because they were actually asking me. That’s when it hits you.”

Her first pattern, known as “Sole Cool Hot Iron Bag,” was published, promoted and is being sold by JWD Publishing based out of Washington. Her designer name is “Quickie Chicks.”

The pattern is for creating a heat-resistant bag to carry an iron. To keep the iron from burning other materials, Fields discovered a special material, known as Insul-Bright, to line the inside.

“I’m still pinching myself,” she said about the entire experience.

The JWD Publishing catalogue of patterns is distributed to 4,000 quilt shops worldwide, according to Fields. Her pattern was launched in Houston and was released for sale to the public in October.

She came up with the idea to create the bag after leaving a quilting class she attends and sews with several friends from her church.

After leaving the class, Fields would have to drive home holding the steering wheel in one hand and the iron in her other since it was still hot.

Fields felt she could think up a better solution than rolling the iron in a towel and watching it unroll on the floor as she drove home.

“I thought, ‘This is ridiculous, I have to come up with something better than this,’” she recalled.

She began designing the bag the way her grandmother once taught her how to quilt.

“She used to walk by a store, come home, start cutting and make something,” Fields said. “I got that from her.”

Once she had a preliminary idea, Fields went home and started cutting fabric. After three months and four attempts, she came up with a design she thought was perfect.

Originally, Fields was going to come up with the exact pattern herself. Things took a turn after she was asked to help find a speaker by Nancy Jacoby, owner Nancy’s Fabric in Wabash, for a quilting show known as “Gathering of Quilters.”

Fields contacted and hired Joen Wolfrom, who owns JWD Publishing. During a four-day visit, the two went out for dinner and discussed quilting. Wolfrom also brought up the fact that she owns the publishing company.

“I said, ‘Whoa,’” Fields said. “The names of some of the quilters she published was intimidating.”

She still decided to ask Wolfrom if her company ever published for someone who never published a pattern before. Wolfrom asked what her idea was and Fields finally decided to tell her.

After Wolfrom discovered no one else had produced the idea, she decided to take the project on and even asked Fields to become one of her designers.

“It feels like I’m walking on clouds,” Fields said.

The hot iron bag is a simple pattern aimed at all stages of those interested in sewing and quilting. Fields wanted to make sure even a beginner could complete the project without much hassle.

The new designer never expected to have such a large response from her idea and simply thought a few friends would purchase the pattern and a few other local people from other sewing guilds.

“It’s fun to think people are taking what I create seriously,” she said.

Her idea has been published in several magazines and even featured on an Internet program.

While the “Sole Cool Hot Iron Bag,” is the first commercial pattern she published, Fields has been designing and making quilts for years.

Many may wonder where her inspiration for the designs and patterns come from.

“I just dream them up,” said Fields. “They just come to me. I listen to other quilters talk and come home and think of an idea to make things better or help with a problem.”

• Denise Massie is a staff writer at the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at (574) 732-5151 or denise.massie@pharostribune.com